Holidays can be expensive. Between gifts for your family and other loved ones, decorations, parties and school breaks, you probably find yourself spending a lot more money than the other 11 months of the year. How do you keep the kids entertained without blowing your budget? The answer is easy: kids holiday crafts are inexpensive and fun, and will help make memories that last for decades to come.
Here are some of our favorite fun holiday activities that won’t break the bank:
Pinecone bird feeders: Pinecone bird feeders are cheap and easy to make. Hunt for pinecones in your yard or at a local park. Coat them in peanut butter, roll them in birdseed and hang them from branches with twine. Have your kids draw pictures of the birds that visit.
Holiday movie night: Movie nights are even more fun by the glow of holiday lights. Pick your favorite holiday movies, pop some popcorn and settle in for a family movie marathon.
Garlands and paper chains: Speaking of popcorn, making popcorn and cranberry garlands or paper chains is a fun way to keep your kids entertained—and let them help decorate.
Snowman and snow angel competitions: There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to inspire creativity. If it snows, have the whole family compete to see who can make the funniest snowman or the most snow angels in a five-minute period.
Paper snowflakes: Even adults have fun creating paper snowflakes, which can be hung from your tree, in the windows or even from the ceiling.
Write letters to relatives and troops overseas: Holidays can be lonely. Have your kids write letters to their elderly relatives or troops overseas to spread some cheer to others.
Donate toys and clothes to shelters: The spirit of the season centers around giving. Donate old toys and clothes to shelters to teach your kids to give back to the community. Empathy is a great quality to develop.
Cookie baking night: Gingerbread men, classic chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms and more—go on a baking marathon, and share the sweet results with friends, family or the senior center.
Write letters to Santa: If your family believes in Santa, make an event out of writing him a letter or two.
Borrow holiday books from the library: Take advantage of your local library, and borrow themed picture books to read together. If you’re not sure where to start, your children’s librarian will be more than happy to help with suggestions.
Decorate the tree: Of course, decorating the tree is an event in and of itself. You can even use the garlands and snowflakes your kids created to adorn the tree.
The best part about these kids holiday crafts and fun holiday activities is that many of them are completely free. (After all, the best things in life usually are.) Try one or try them all, and you’re guaranteed to enjoy this season together.
Looking for a preschool for your child? Reach out to Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center to learn more about our classes and the fun holiday activities and crafts our students participate in.
One of the first words your child will learn to say is “no.” It is a very useful word for them to know—you no longer have to guess if they want more food or a drink or a hug—but, boy oh boy, do toddlers enjoy saying “no.” They seem to wake up each day saying it and then go to sleep murmuring it to themselves.
Rest assured that you’re not alone in this developmental stage. Read on if you’re asking yourself, “Why do two-year-olds say ‘no’?”
The toddler no phase
Experts say that this stage is typically between 18 and 36 months old. It’s often a time of extremes as the child begins to have some additional autonomy. One minute they may be affectionate, while the next minute they’re screaming “NO!” seemingly without reason.
And they love the power of the word. They’ll use it to get your attention. They’ll use it when they legitimately aren’t interested in something. They’ll use it for fun. They’re starting to be more assertive over their environment—that sometimes includes rejecting everything around them whether it makes sense or not.
How to deal with this stage
Luckily, you do have some tools at your disposal for getting through this trying time. (There is logic behind the old cliché of the “terrible twos.”)
Here are some things to try out with your child:
Establishing routines is particularly important at this age. When there are expectations, your child will have a better idea of how the day is going to go. They will feel empowered without feeling the need to say “no” every fifteen seconds.
Limiting the number of power struggles is also helpful. They’re going to happen, but ask yourself ahead of time, “Is this the hill I want to die on?” “Is this important, or am I arbitrarily setting a boundary?” Be selective when you need to be firm.
Try to make things fun whenever possible. Let’s say you want your child to pick up their toys. Instead of drawing a line in the sand (i.e., “You have to help, or you won’t get a snack”), make the task fun. Give the child a pair of kitchen tongs, and see how many toys they can drop in the box. Granted, it won’t be the most efficient work, but you are asking a two-year-old to do it!
Validate your child’s feelings. Let’s say you have to take your child to day care, but they want to go to the playground. You can say to the child, “I know you want to go to the playground, but right now we have to go to school.” Of course, this may still end up in a temper tantrum, but, in the long run, it will help establish a better relationship with your child.
Are you looking for quality childcare? At Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center, our involvement with your child doesn’t end with traditional schooling and classroom teaching. We provide children from newborn to 9 years old with a safe environment to relax, play and learn when they can’t be in your care. It’s a chance for social-emotional development and a great way for kids to explore the world around them. Contact us right now to learn more about our childcare programs!
From the moment children are born, they start learning all about the world around them. They’re also developing skills that they will use for years to come in all facets of their lives. The importance of early childhood education in fostering these skills and helping children learn new ones is evident in everything from literacy to math skills to emotional stability.
Read on to find out about early learning benefits and discover how the right early learning center can help your child grow and develop.
The importance of early childhood education
The outcomes for children who receive a quality education from an early age are numerous. When parents and educators have a strong relationship, children will gain numerous social and academic benefits. This has both broad and specific applications. For example, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning outcomes have a positive correlation with early learning.
In these early years, a child will build a foundation for their future development, creating a strong base for how they learn throughout their school career. This includes supporting cognitive and social development. Study after study has demonstrated that early childhood education is a vital part of a child’s success in the future.
What to look for in an early learning program
If you believe in the importance of early childhood education, then you’ll want to find a quality program to enroll your child in. From an early age, children can learn so much from being in a classroom setting with both a teacher and their peers.
Here’s what you want to look for in a childcare center that will deliver educational results:
Individualized attention: While part of a childcare center’s responsibility is meeting a child’s basic needs, education needs to go beyond that. It’s vital in the early years for your child to have a supportive teacher who will take the time to provide instruction based on your child’s needs.
Curriculum: Pre-kindergarten lessons need not be complex, but the center should have an idea of what educational outcomes they want to see. Whether it’s learning how to play together with their peers or singing the alphabet song, ensure that the center’s goals align with your values.
Daily story time: One of the most critical activities for young children is reading. Having story time every day at school reinforces this habit. It helps children associate language with text and images—and it creates a positive environment around reading as well. (Bonus points for childcare centers that have dedicated reading areas where children can explore books regardless of their literacy level!)
These are just some of the early learning benefits. Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center is a premier, Biblically-based early childhood learning center. We’re proud to teach the youngest minds skills that last a lifetime. Our supportive and dedicated staff are members of your community, fully invested in helping each student succeed in a loving, safe environment. Let us become part of your family and teach your child the life skills they need to grow and thrive.
It’s never easy to let go of your child and to allow someone else to take over. But the reality is that your child can thrive by being with other children and being in the dynamic environment of a childcare center.
However, it’s important to know how to prepare for daycare in Greenwood, IN—for both your child and yourself. Read on to find out about planning for childcare for a baby.
When is a good time to take my child to daycare?
This depends on your family’s particular circumstances. With many families having both parents working full time, you may start daycare before you really feel ready. That said, transitioning your infant to daycare can happen from six weeks to six months of age. When you decide to make the switch will be dependent on a range of factors, including whether you have family around to help, your financial situation and parental leave policies.
What should I expect from my daycare?
More than ever before, childcare centers are prepared to handle the emotional and developmental needs of infants. A high-quality program will provide a caring and supportive environment for even the youngest children. You should expect your daycare to do all the following:
Talk to the baby
Comfort the infant when they’re upset
Read stories to the baby
Sing songs to the infant
How do daycare facilities handle feeding?
If you’re bringing an infant to daycare, you may be wondering how they handle feeding, as this is the number one task of many new moms. It’s a good idea to start by establishing a regular feeding schedule and then inform the childcare facility about this routine.
You also want to try to get your child accustomed to a baby bottle before they’ll be going to daycare. Then you want to make sure to establish the amount of breastmilk to send with the child each day and arrange for storage.
What will I need to send to daycare with my baby?
As you may have already discovered, packing for a baby can be complicated. Make sure to write out a list ahead of time, then double-check it before you head to the childcare center in the morning. Here are some basics you’ll need:
Feeding supplies like bottles and milk or formula
Extra clothes
Diapers, baby wipes and diaper cream
If you’re planning for childcare for your baby in Greenwood, IN, turn to Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center. We offer Biblically-based early childhood learning, and our team is dedicated to providing nurturing care for the children of our community. We’re excited to be able to teach your child the life skills they need to grow and thrive.
All our programs are individually tailored to students, allowing kids to grow and discover at their own pace. Give us a call today to find out if Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center would be a good fit for your family. We look forward to meeting you!
No matter what age your child is, you’ll want to know as much as possible about the daycare you’re planning on sending them to. Finding the right childcare center for your child is no simple task. You’ll likely call several centers and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each. You’ll want a place that supports your parenting philosophy and will feel like a second home for your child. With that in mind, here are some questions for a childcare center in Greenwood, IN that you’ll want to be sure to ask.
What is your daily schedule?
Any childcare center should be able to provide you with a daily schedule showing exactly what your child will be doing each day. Daycares typically run on a structured schedule that keeps the kids in a routine. Knowing the schedule will allow you to see whether the activities the center is providing seem like a good fit for your kid.
What is the center’s approach to discipline?
Parents differ in their approaches to discipline, just as childcare centers do. For example, some parents may be okay with using timeouts as a penalty, while others are not. Some parents may want stricter discipline for their kids, whereas others prefer a more relaxed approach. Ask about discipline to make sure you’re on the same page as the center.
Do the kids get time to go outdoors?
You know your child better than anyone—how do they respond to being indoors all day? For many kids, getting outside is an ideal release. It allows them to play, run around and get their energy out. If this is the case for your kid, you’ll want to make sure the center has an outdoor space like a playground and that, weather permitting, they get time outdoors each day.
What is the school’s educational curriculum?
This is especially important for children in pre-kindergarten. Kids should be building basic skills in terms of shape recognition, letter recognition, fine motor skills and number recognition. You want your child to be prepared for kindergarten, and your childcare center will play a key role in this.
How does the center handle potty training?
Even if your little one isn’t quite to toilet training age yet, before you know it, they’ll be out of diapers. Childcare centers have a range of policies on potty training. Some may require that two-year-olds be out of diapers, or that three-year-olds use the toilet independently.
We hope this daycare questions list has proven helpful. For parents who are looking for caring, supportive childcare in Greenwood, IN, Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center is the best choice. We offer Biblically-based early childhood learning. We’re proud to teach the youngest minds skills that last a lifetime.
Our dedicated team is made up of members of the community. Let us become part of your family and teach your child the life skills they need to grow and thrive. Contact us now to learn more and find out if Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center is right for your child.
